Sunday, December 30, 2012

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Happy Holidays from me to you. I hope you had a fabulous holiday season or a simply peaceful December if you do not celebrate. Christmas this year was everything I love about the day and more. Time with my family and a happy household. I could not ask for anything more.

Now, I am looking forward to ringing in the new year and saying goodbye to 2012, which like the few years preceeding it, has been a trying time for my family in many ways. I'm looking forward to a fresh start that brings hope for a better future. I am not a resolution girl but this year several have simply appeared before me and I am saying yes to the challenge. The idea of accomplishing these items makes me quite happy. One that will have a direct impact on this blog is learning Adobe Elements. I've had the program for over a year now and I have done nothing beyond the basics but I am itching to dig in. I want to make it a priority. Another is being able to photograph and introduce to you more of the savory dishes that I enjoy throughout the year. This one will be a bit more tricky for me as I have found sweet items to be easier to photgraph a day later than consumed. We'll see how this one goes.

I made and photographed this beautiful and delicious cake on Christmas Eve and was really quite pleased with myself. The plan was to enjoy it after stockings and presents on Christmas morn but my clan declared themselves hungry with a disclaimer that they did not want anything sweet. This is weird, I say to myself, but I don't let on that I'm a little bit put off by the desctruction of my well crafted Christmas breakfast. Instead, I make egg and bacon fritatta and ate my savory with the family. Don't worry they cake was consumed too. It just wasn't when I planned.

My son and I originally spotted this cake on a Thanksgiving show of Paula Deen's. As always, I used it as a starting point and changed a few minor things in the ingredients and preperations, and did a complete overhaul on the instructions. I'm pretty particular with how recipes are presented. It may or may not be one of my better qualities. The topping of this cake is really sweet and feel free to reduce the sugar content, if you wish. The cake itself is a perfect for this topping, not sweet at all, and with a touch of buttermilk to add that yummy tang. I do hope you like it as much as I did.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and spray again.

Combine the brown sugar and 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Place the cranberries in a single layer of the brown sugar mixture.

Beat the granulated sugar and remaining 1 stick butter in a large bowl at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan, about 10 minutes. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Cool before serving, about 15 minutes.

About Me

I'm a 30 something wife and mother of two kids. I work full-time in the office universe and the rest of the time you'll find me in my kitchen. I'm not a fancy cook by any means, and my photography leaves a lot to be desired, but I hope you will stop by and stay for a while anyways.